Air pump

ABSTRACT

A vibrator air pump for blowing air bubbles into an aquarium by a pumping action of a bellows connected to a vibratory armature actuated by an A. C. electromagnet. The electromagnet and the vibratory armature are respectively disposed in a separate chamber divided by partition walls, and the electromagnet has air passages and the chamber where the electromagnet is positioned can be ventilated to cool the electromagnet.

0 United States Patent 1191 1111 3,830,596 Kondo 1 1 Aug. 20, 1974 [54] AIR PUW 3,539,276 11/1970 Mat suura 417/413 3,545,894 12/1970 L0 'tz 417/412 [76] Inventor Ikegaml 3,635,344 1/1972 Loiiitz 210/169 l-chome, Tokyo, Japan 3,746,478 7/1973 Willingcr 417/413 [22] Filed: Jan. 18, 1973 Przmary Exammer-C. J. Husar 1 1 pp 324,649 1 Attorney, Agent, or Firm-Kenneth S. Goldfarb [30] Foreign Application Priority Data ABSTRACT Jan. 18, 1972 Japan..., 47-7756 A vibrator air P p for blowing air bubbles into an aquarium by a pumping action of a bellows connected [52] US. Cl. 417/413, 210/169, 261/121 M to a vibratory mature actuated by an A. C. electro- [58] Field of Search F04b/43/00; 417/412, 413; magnet. The eCtromagnet and the vibratory arma- 210/169; 261/121 M ture are respectively disposed in a separate chamber divided by partition walls, and the electromagnet has [56] Refer Cit d air passages and the chamber where the electromagnet UNITED STATES PATENTS is positioned can be ventilated to cool the electromag- 3,155,3os 11/1964 Tussey 417/412 3,289,917 12/1966 Buchanan 417/412 4 Claims, 4 Drawing Figures AIR PUMP BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field Of The Invention This invention relates to an air supply device for blowing air bubbles into an aquarium fish tank or tub, and more particularly to improvements in vibrator air pumps which deliver air bubbles into the aquarium tank by a pumping action of a bellows connected to a vibratory armature actuated by an A. C. electromagnet.

2. Description Of The Prior Arts In general, vibrator air pumps include an electromagnet energized by an alternating current, a vibratory arm having a permanet magnet which is oscillated within an alternating magnetic field of the electromagnet, and a bellows connected to the vibratory arm.

The electromagnet used in an air pump of this type comprises a core which may be made of a lamination of about 25 or 35 sheet of silicon steel plates and a coil wound around the core about 7,000 or 8,000 turns, and an electromagnetic field is created by energizing the electromagnet by the alternating current. In this instance, the electromagnet radiates heat due to a resistance of coils and an eddy current induced in the core.

It is possible to reduce the amount of heat radiation from the electromagnet either by increasing a winding turn of coils and/or using a core of high quality. However, these steps would not be practical because the manufacturing cost of the pump will be increased.

In this air pump, internal mechanisms of the pump such as the bellows, the vibrating arm and the electromagnet, are confined in a housing of the pump in order to prevent noises of vibration of the vibratory arm from leaking outside, and there is no ventilation in the housing. Consequently, the heat generated from the electromagnet is stuffy in the housing and causes a change in quality of the elastic materials used in the internal mechanisms of the pump or the housing itself.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide a vibrator air pump which is capable of ventilating the inside of a housing of the pump in order to cool the electromagnet.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a vibrator air pump, the electromagnet of which has a shape of improving cooling efficiency and is constructed in a manner that the manufacturing cost is decreased by the reduction of silicon steel plates of the core by approximately percent and the winding by approximately 30 percent as compared with conventional devices.

Still another object of the present invention is to provide a vibrator air pump which is able to prevent the vibrating noises of the arm from being heard outside the pump in spite of conducting the ventilation of the pump.

Briefly, the foregoing and other objects, features and advantages are attained in accordance with the present invention by the provision of a vibrator air pump having partition walls to be adapted to a front contour of an electromagnet to divide the inside of a housing into two chambers. One of the chambers defined by the partition walls is provided with a valve housing yieldably engaging a rubber bellows around its upper portion which is operated by a vibratory armature having a permanent magnet adhesively secured thereto, and the electromagnet consisting of poles and coil is disposed in another chamber. In the present invention, there are provided slits on an upper and side surfaces of the housing for introducing air into the chamber where the electromagnet is positioned, and air passages are formed between the poles and coils for cooling the electromagnet.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS Various other object, feature and attendant advantages of the present invention will be more fully appreciated as the same becomes better understood by reference to the following detailed description when considered in connection with the accompanying drawings, wherein;

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a vibrator air pump according to the present invention;

FIG. 2 is an exploded perspective view of the vibrator air pump and showing the upper casing in an overturned position for greater clarity;

FIG. 3 is a perspective view of one embodiment of electromagnet used in the present invention; and

FIG. 4 is a perspective view of the another embodiment of the electromagnet used in the present invention.

Referring now to the drawings, wherein like reference numerals designate identical or corresponding parts throughout the several views, the vibrator air pump of the present invention comprises an upper casing 10, a lower casing 12, a vibratory armature l4 and an electromagnet generally indicated by the reference numeral 16. In the inside of the lower casing I2, there are provided a valve housing 18 containing valve mechanisms such as diaphram, a support 20 of the vibratory armature l4, partition walls 22 and a support 24 of the electromagnet 16. In the upper casing 10, a support 21 of the vibratory armature 14 and a partition wall 23 are provided as shown in FIG. 2.

The valve housing 18 is covered with a cup-shaped rubber bellows 26 which is connected to the vibratory armature 14 and is yieldably in engagement with around the upper portion of the housing 18. The vibratory armature 14 is held by placing an elastic tube 28 fixed at the end thereof on the support 20 in the lower casing 12 in a cantilever fashion, and the electromagnet 16 is disposed in the lower casing 12 by inserting a tail portion 30 of a bobbin 32 into recesses 34 of the support 24. After this arrangement, the upper casing 10 is placed on the lower casing 12 as shown in FIG. I, and both the upper and lower casings l0 and 12 are assembled by a pair of screws 36.

According to the present invention, the bobbin 32 of the electromagnet has window 38, and air passages 40 communicating with the windows 38 of the bobbin 32 are formed between both side surfaces 42 of the pole extending into the bobbin 32 and the inner side surface of the bobbin 32 so that air may be flowed from rear openings of the air passages 40 to front openings through the air passages as shown in FIGS. 2 and 3. The front openings of the air passages direct the air into the valve housing 18 and are plugged up with soundproofing material (not shown) such as a felt for preventing vibrating noises of the vibratory arm from being transmitted to a chamber where the electromagnet 16 is positioned and for filtering the air introduced into a chamber where the valve housing 18 and the vibratory armature M is positioned. As shown in FIG. 4, the air passage 40 may be formed in the center of the poles 44 by dividing the poles 44 into two sections. A coil 48 is wound around the bobbin 32 and the pole 44 in a conventional manner. By the provision of the air passages 40, the core 44 and windings 48 can be cooled when the electromagnet 1 6 is heated by an electrical resistance of windings 48 and an eddy current in the core.

On the upper and side walls of the upper casing 10 of the electromagnet side, longitudinal slits 50. are provided to introduce air into the housing and to radiate the heat from the electromagnet 16 outside of the vibrator pump.

As shown in FIG. 2, the upper and lower casings are divided by the partition walls 22 which are fitted to the contour of the electromagent l6 and prevent the vibrating noise of the vibratory armature 14 from being transmitted to the chamber where the electromagnet 16 is positioned and the slits 50 for ventilation are formed on the upper and side wall of the upper casing 10.

Obviously, many modifications and variations of the present invention are possible in light of the above teachings. It is therefore to be understood that within the scope of the appended claims, the invention may be practiced otherwise than as specifically described.

What is claimed as new and desired to be secured by Letters Patent of the United States is:

1. In a vibrator air pump for delivering air bubbles into an aquarium by a pumping action of a bellows, said pump having an air inlet and an air outlet said bellows being positioned over a valve housing and connected to a vibratory armature operated in an alternating magnetic field, the improvement comprising;

an upper and lower casing having partition walls to divide the inside of a housing of said pump into two chambers, said upper casing having slits on the upper and side surface thereof for introducing air into one of said chambers and circulating said air in the inside and outside of said chamber; and

an electromagnet having air passages for cooling said electromagnet and disposed in said chamber by having a front contour of said electromagnet encircled by said partition walls.

2. A vibrator air pump according to claim 1, wherein said air passages are formed between both side surface of poles and inner side surface of a bobbin of said electromagnet.

3. A vibrator air pump according to claim 1, wherein said air passages are formed in the center of poles by dividing said poles into two sections.

4. A vibrator air pump according to claim 2, wherein windows communicating with said passages are formed on said bobbins. 

1. In a vibrator air pump for delivering air bubbles into an aquarium by a pumping action of a bellows, said pump having an air inlet and an air outlet said bellows being positioned over a valve housing and connected to a vibratory armature operated in an alternating magnetic field, the improvement comprising; an upper and lower casing having partition walls to divide the inside of a housing of said pump into two chambers, said upper casing having slits on the upper and side surface thereof for introducing air into one of said chambers and circulating said air in the inside and outside of said chamber; and an electromagnet having air passages for cooling said electromagnet and disposed in said chamber by having a front contour of said electromagnet encircled by said partition walls.
 2. A vibrator air pump according to claim 1, wherein said air passages are formed between both side surface of poles and inner side surface of a bobbin of said electromagnet.
 3. A vibrator air pump according to claim 1, wherein said air passages are formed in the center of poles by dividing said poles into two sections.
 4. A vibrator air pump according to claim 2, wherein windows communicating with said passages are formed on said bobbins. 